Leather product and process for making the same.



HllGH MACKAY, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

ZLELAT-mR PRODUCT AND PRQCESSFOB MAKING THE 8%.

Specification of Letters Patent.

W Application filed ep'tember 23, 1907.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Serial No. 3%,161. (Specimena) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH MACKAY, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and 1m roved Leather Product and Process for Ma ing theSame, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to the treatment of sole leather, my particularobject being to increase the durability and wearing capacity of soleleather, and also to increase-the weight of the leather while changingits general character for the better. Briefly stated, I complete theleather, after the tanning process is completed, by causing acomposition to become absorbed in the pores.

l have found, however, that my process is erplally ellicacious whenappliedto leather w rich has been only partially tanned or which isundergoing the process of tanning, as well as that in which the tanningis complete.

I. take leather, and soak it in water until it becomes thoroughly)liant. I then take it out of the water and allow it to become abouthalf dry. I then color the leather in any approved manner and give it agood coating of boiled linseed oil applied upon the grain side only ofthe leather. This coating 1 let dry in thoroughly. 1 next prepare a bathby mixin togetier Portland cement, borax and cold water in theproportion of eight ounces of cement, twoounces of borax and enoughwater to reduce the mixture to the consistency of milk. I then place theleather in the bath, allowin one pound of the leather to so much 0 thebath as contains one half pound of the Portland cement and borax in adry state.

The preparations stated are somewhat arbitrary, and may be varied withinreasonable limits.

I allow the leather to stay in the bath for twenty-four hours, afterwhich'l remove the leather and examine it, preferably by cutting itsedge. if the mixture has not permeated the pores of the leather, Ireturn the same to the bath. The longer the leather remains in the bath,the firmer and heavier it becomes. When the substance of the leather hasreached a pro or consistency, I remove the leather and a low it to dry.When it becomes nearly dr I give it a good coat of linseed oil, applieupon both sides of the leather, for instance ordinary sole leather. Whenthe leather is dry, I roll and finish it, thereby completing it for use.

I find that sole leather treated as above described has its durabilityincreased from one hundred to two hundred per cent. as com ared withleather not so treated; and furt ermore, that the process renders theleather waterproof.

The details of the process may be varied slightly without deviating fromthe spirit of my invention. For instance the coloring of the leather andthe coating thereof with linseed oil ma in some instances be dispensedwith. do also the composition of the completed product may be variedslightly in accordance with the preparations employed in the tanningprocess.

.1 find further that objects made of heavy leather not requiring hnygreat degree of flexibility, may be treated in accordance with theprocess substantially as above described, and that the leather oranalogous material is improved in like manner as sole leather. Itmatters not whether the process be employed in connection with thecomplete leather or with leather )artiall Y finished at someprevioustimo, or with leat er in the process of tanning. The improvementapears to be e( ually ellicacious in all cases. Vhen shoe soles aretreated as above described, there is no injury whatever to eitherthread, pegs or nails.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The process herein described of surfac hardening sole leather whichconsists in soaking the same in an aqueous mixture of Portland cementand borax.

2. The methodherein described of surface hardening sole leather whichconsists in closing the orcs of the same with Portland cement an boraxfor the purpose of increasing the durability of said leather.

3. The process herein described of surface hardening sole leather whichconsists in soaking the same, for the purpose of opening the pores,preparing a bath containing Portland cement, borax and water, soakingsaidleather in said bath, and afterwards drving said leather and coatingboth sides with oil.

4. The leather product herein described consistin of leather the poresof which contain Portland cement.

5.The process of treating sole leatherpartially drying the soakedleather, coating In testimony whereof I have signed my the grain side ofthe artially dried leather name to this specification in the presence of10 With linseed (Lil afild a lowing t1? oil toddry, two subscribingWitnesses.

re arin a at containin ort an cer r i ner it, bo iax and Water, soakiigthe partially HUGH MACMK' treated leather in said bath, again partiallydrying said leather and coating both sides of the leather with linseedoil.

\Vitnesses H. A. DONNELLY, WILBUR SNOW.

